U.S. patent number 5,176,860 [Application Number 07/746,094] was granted by the patent office on 1993-01-05 for method of the manufacture of an upholstery element.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Atoma International of America, Inc.. Invention is credited to Helmut Storch.
United States Patent |
5,176,860 |
Storch |
January 5, 1993 |
Method of the manufacture of an upholstery element
Abstract
A method of making an upholstered element wherein a cover is
introduced into a mold to which it tightly adheres. The mold is
closed by means of a first lid, following which a soft-foam
reaction mixture is introduced into a first hollow chamber of the
mold closed off by the first lid. At the end of the reaction, the
soft-foam reaction mixture fills the first hollow chamber and forms
a soft-foam body. Subsequently, the first lid is removed from the
mold and replaced by a second lid, the soft-foam body remaining in
the mold. Between the soft-foam body in the mold and the second
lid, a second hollow space is formed. Subsequently, a rigid-foam
reaction mixture is introduced into the second hollow chamber,
which at the end of the reaction fills the second hollow chamber
and forms a rigid-foam body.
Inventors: |
Storch; Helmut (Amberg,
DE) |
Assignee: |
Atoma International of America,
Inc. (Livonia, MI)
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Family
ID: |
6358500 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/746,094 |
Filed: |
August 12, 1991 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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377101 |
Jul 10, 1989 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jul 11, 1988 [DE] |
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3823584 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
264/46.6;
264/45.1; 264/271.1; 264/46.7; 264/255 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C
44/1257 (20130101); B29C 44/086 (20130101); B29C
44/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B29C
44/12 (20060101); B29C 44/08 (20060101); B29C
44/02 (20060101); B29C 067/22 () |
Field of
Search: |
;264/45.1,46.6,46.7,46.8,255,271.1,46.4 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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58-173630 |
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Oct 1983 |
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JP |
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1229790 |
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Apr 1971 |
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GB |
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2114051 |
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Aug 1983 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Kuhns; Allan R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cushman, Darby & Cushman
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
07/377,101, filed on Jul. 10, 1989, which was abandoned upon the
filing hereof.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of forming an upholstery element with the use of a mold
closeable by a first lid to define a first closed hollow chamber
and by a second lid to define a second hollow chamber, said method
comprising the steps of
introducing a cover to said mold in such a way as to adhere tightly
to sides of said mold.
closing said mold by said first lid so that the first closed hollow
chamber is defined in part by the cover,
clamping a border area of the cover between the mold and the first
lid at the time the mold is closed by the first lid,
introducing a soft foam reaction mixture into the first closed
hollow chamber and reacting the same to form a soft foam body (1)
filling the first closed hollow chamber and (2) adhering to the
cover defining part of the first closed hollow chamber,
removing the first lid from said mold and closing said mold by said
second lid so that the second hollow chamber is defined in part by
the soft foam body,
introducing a rigid-foam reaction mixture into the second hollow
chamber and reacting the same to form a rigid-foam body (1) filling
the second hollow chamber and (2) adhering to the soft foam body
defining part of the second closed hollow chamber so that the rigid
foam body serves as a support element for the soft foam body and
adhered cover of the upholstery element thus made, and
introducing the border area of the cover into the second hollow
chamber after removal of the first lid and prior to closing of the
mold by the second lid, after which the second hollow chamber is
foamed with the rigid-foam reaction mixture so that the border area
is embedded in the rigid-foam body.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one
stiffening element is inserted into the second hollow chamber
before the second hollow chamber is closed by closing the mold by
the second lid.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one
fastening element is inserted into the second hollow chamber which
extends with said fastening element into the second lid when the
second hollow chamber is tightly covered by closing the mold by the
second lid.
4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one
fastening means is inserted into the second hollow chamber which
closely abuts on a front of the second lid facing the soft-foam
body when the mold is closed by the second lid.
Description
The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of an
upholstery element, wherein a cover is introduced into a mold
adhering tightly to the sides, whereafter the mold is closed by
means of a lid and a reaction mixture is introduced into the closed
hollow chamber of the mold, which foams in the course of the
reaction taking place and fills the closed hollow chamber, and
wherein the cover of the upholstery element is connected with a
support element disposed on the upholstery element.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
To manufacture such upholstery elements it is often required to
introduce into the mold, after the cover has been introduced and
before the hollow chamber of the mold is closed by means of the
lid, an insert which is used for stiffening of the back-foamed
upholstery element. This insert may be made of wood, plastic, metal
or the like. Introduction of such an insert into the mold requires
a certain effort. Customarily an upholstery element manufactured in
this manner is made with a support element, which requires that the
cover of the back-foamed upholstery element be connected with the
support element. Such connection may be accomplished by, for
example, crimping, clamping, gluing, stapling, by means of snap-in
connections, or the like. The connection between the cover material
and the support element requires a further operational step which
makes itself felt in the manufacturing costs of such a back-foamed
upholstery element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to supply a method for
the manufacture of an upholstery element of the type mentioned
above, by means of which a back-foamed upholstery element having a
support element can be simply manufactured, and which results in a
simple manner in a secure connection between the cover and the
support element.
This object is attained by means of the invention in that the mold
is initially closed with a first lid after the cover has been
introduced, whereafter a soft-foam mixture in introduced into the
first hollow chamber of the mold closed off by the first lid, which
fills the first hollow chamber at the end of the reaction in the
form of a soft-foam body, in that subsequently the first lid is
removed from the mold and replaced by a second lid, the soft-foam
body remaining in the mold, and a second hollow chamber being
formed between the soft-foam body present in the mold and the
second lid, and in that subsequently a rigid-foam reaction mixture
is introduced into the second hollow chamber which, at the end of
the reaction, fills the second hollow chamber with a rigid-foam
body which serves as a support element. The soft-foam reaction
mixture first introduced into the mold may be a polyurethane
cold-curing soft foam. A polyurethane rigid-foam system is
preferably used as rigid-foam reaction mixture. The rigid-foam
reaction mixture for filling the hollow chamber remaining between
the second lid and the soft-foam body may be a so-called
polyurethane RIM system, by means of which a dimensionally very
stable support element can be manufactured for such an upholstery
element. By means of the method according to the invention it is
thus possible to manufacture exactly shaped upholstery elements by
means of a combination of polyurethane cold-curing soft-foam
systems and polyurethane rigid-foam systems. Additionally, there is
the potential to fill with foam, for example, the back of such an
upholstery element either partially or entirely with so-called
PU-RIM systems in such a way, that a dimensionally stable covering,
a dimensionally stable frame or a dimensionally stable support
element is formed.
In one exemplary embodiment of the method according to the
invention the border area of the cover is preferably clamped
between the mold and the first lid at the time the mold is closed
by means of the first lid, and the border area of the cover is
clamped between the mold and the second lid when the mold is
subsequently closed by means of the second lid. The border area of
the cover is preferably clamped into a stretch frame provided
outside of the first or second lid before the mold is closed by
means of the first or second lid, and the border area of the cover,
extending beyond the second hollow chamber and clamped into the
stretch frame and extending beyond the rigid-foam body, is cut off
from the upholstery element after the upholstery element has been
removed from the mold. In this method the cover therefore not only
lies against the exterior of the soft-foam body with its border
area, but simultaneously against the entire circumferential surface
of the rigid-foam body. Cutting of the border area of the cover
extending beyond the rigid-foam body preferably is performed
directly at the rigid-foam body, so that there are no portions of
the cover extending outwardly from the upholstery element on the
finished upholstery element. In this manner unintentional damage of
the upholstery element by unintended pulling of the cover off the
upholstery element, i.e. the rigid-foam body, is eliminated.
Considerably improved adherence between the border area of the
cover and the upholstery element, i.e. in particular the rigid-foam
body, is the result of the execution of the method in accordance
with the invention, in which the border area of the cover is
clamped between the mold and the first lid at the time the mold is
closed with the first lid, and in which the border area of the
cover is introduced into the second hollow chamber after removal of
the first lid and prior to closing of the mold by means of the
second lid, after which the second hollow chamber is foamed with
the rigid-foam reaction mixture. During the execution of this
method the border area of the cover extending beyond the soft-foam
body is completely surrounded by the rigid-foam reaction mixture,
i.e. covered with foam, so that a rigid connection of the cover
with the rigid-foam body results, which is secure against
unintended damage.
At least one stiffening element can be inserted into the second
hollow chamber before the second hollow chamber is closed by means
of the second lid. This can be advantageous, for example, if the
rigid-foam reaction mixture is a viscous-rigid PU system. This
stiffening element may be, for example, in the form of a frame, a
grid or a network and may be made of plastic, metal, or the
like.
At least one fastening element may be inserted into the second
hollow chamber, which extends with its fastening element into the
second lid when the second hollow chamber is tightly covered with
the second lid. This fastening element may be, for example, a
threaded pin, a fastening screw, or the like. It is, of course,
also feasible to provide the second lid with recesses on its front
facing the soft-foam body, so that on the back surface of the
rigid-foam body corresponding to the front of the second lid
fastening elements extending from this back surface are formed, for
example in the form of fastening clips, i.e. in the form of elastic
snap-in catch elements.
It is also possible to insert into the second hollow chamber at
least one fastening means which closely abuts on the front of the
second lid facing the soft-foam body when the mold is closed by
means of the second lid. These fastening elements may be, for
example, in the form of sleeves having an inner threaded bore. By
means of the last described fastening elements or fastening means
it is possible to securely connect an upholstery element having a
soft-foam body and a rigid-foam body with, for example, a covering,
which may be a deep-drawn sheet metal element, a structural part of
a seat manufactured by molding or any other method whatsoever, or
the like.
Further details, characteristics and advantages ensue from the
following description of a schematically illustrated mold for
manufacturing an upholstery element, as well as from the following
description of exemplary embodiments of upholstery elements
manufactured in such a mold.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional view through a mold closed by means of a
first lid;
FIG. 2 is an illustration of the mold corresponding to FIG. 1,
where it is closed by means of a second lid;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view through one half of an upholstery
element which has been provided with a stiffening element;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view through an upholstery element having
various fastening elements or a fastening means;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an upholstery element which is
mechanically fixedly connected with a covering element;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an upholstery element with a
covering, the upholstery element shown in FIG. 6 being different
from the upholstery element shown in FIG. 5 in particular in that
the covering directly abuts with a large surface on the soft-foam
body and not with a large surface on the rigid-foam body of the
upholstery element;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view through a first embodiment of an
upholstery element in the form of an armrest;
FIG. 8 is sectional view through a second embodiment of an
upholstery element in the form of an armrest; and
FIG. 9 is sectional view through a third embodiment of an
upholstery element in the form of an armrest.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows a mold 10 with a hollow chamber 12 into which suction
channels 14 lead, only one suction channel has been shown for the
sake of simplicity. In a first operational step, a cover 16 is
introduced into the hollow chamber 12 of the mold 10, which closely
and without wrinkles adheres to the contour 18 of the mold 10 which
defines the hollow chamber 12. The cover 16 can be held against the
contour 18 of the mold 10 by means of the suction channels 14. The
border area 20 of the cover 16 extending out of the mold 10 is
clamped to the mold 10 by means of a stretch frame 22. Following
clamping of the cover 16 by means of the stretch frame 22 or after
the cover 16 abuts closely and without wrinkles on the contour 18
of the mold 10, the mold 10 is closed by means of a first lid 24,
the border area 20 of the cover 16 being tightly clamped between
the first lid 24 and the mold 10. A first hollow chamber of the
mold 10 is closed off by the first lid 24 and is designated by
reference numeral 12 in FIG. 1. The first lid 24 has an inlet
channel 26, by means of which a soft-foam reaction mixture 28 is
introduced into the first hollow chamber 12 of the mold 10. The
soft-foam reaction mixture 28 foams up in the course of the
reaction of the soft-foam reaction mixture 28, so that it fills the
first hollow chamber 12. Subsequently that first lid 24 of the mold
10 is removed and a second lid 30 is disposed on the mold 10, such
as shown in FIG. 2. The second lid 30 is shaped in such a way that
a second hollow chamber 36 is formed between the soft-foam body 32,
produced from the soft-foam reaction mixture 28 and remaining in
the hollow chamber 12 of the mold 10 after removal of the first lid
24, and the front 34 of the second lid 30 facing the soft-foam body
32. In this operational position the cover 16 is also clamped to
the mold 10 by means of the stretch frame 22. Additionally, the
cover 16 is clamped with its border area 20 to the mold 10 by means
of the second lid 30. In the operational position shown in FIG. 2,
a rigid-foam reaction mixture 40 is introduced through the inlet
channel 38 provided in the second lid 30, which foams up during
reaction and fills the second hollow chamber 36. A rigid-foam body
42, mechanically securely connected to the soft-foam body 32,
results at the end of the reaction of the rigid-foam reaction
mixture 40. Naturally the amount of the rigid-foam reaction mixture
must be chosen in such a way that excessive overpressure, by which
the soft-foam body 32 might be damaged, is avoided in the course of
the reaction of the rigid-foam reaction mixture 40.
At the end of the reaction of the rigid-foam mixture 40, the second
lid 30 is removed from the mold 10. Simultaneously or subsequently
thereto the stretch frame 22 is removed from the mold 10 and the
upholstery element consisting of the soft-foam body 32 and the
rigid-foam body 42 is removed from the mold 10. Subsequently the
border area 20 of the cover 16 extending beyond the upholstery
element is cut off the upholstery element along the edge 44 (see
FIG. 2). An upholstery element is created in this manner, in which
the cover 16 tightly adheres over a large surface to the soft-foam
body 32 and to the peripheral edge 46 of the rigid-foam body 42. In
FIG. 3 an upholstery element 48 is shown cut in half, which has a
soft-foam body 32 and a rigid-foam body 42 connected with the
soft-foam body 42. The cover 16 completely covers the soft-foam
body 32 and the border area 20 of the cover 16 blends into the
rigid-foam body 42. This results in a secure connection of the
cover 16 with the rigid-foam body 42. A stiffening element 50 is
disposed in the rigid-foam body 42 which may be, for example, a
tubular frame. Additionally, the rigid-foam body 42 has stiffening
ribs 52 which can be formed by a suitable design of the first lid
24 (see FIG. 1). It is possible to use, for example, a polyurethane
RIM system as rigid-foam reaction mixture for the rigid-foam body
42.
FIG. 4 is a section through an upholstery element 48 made of a
soft-foam body 32 and a rigid-foam body 42, the soft-foam body 32
being completely covered by a cover 16. The cover 16 is fastened on
the left side of the upholstery element 48 flat on the border area
46 of the rigid-foam body 42. In contrast to this a border section
20 of the cover 16 is shown on the right side of the upholstery
element 48, which is located in the interior of the rigid-foam body
42. This results in a more secure fastening of the cover 16 on the
upholstery element 48 than in the embodiment shown on the left side
of the upholstery element 48 in FIG. 4. A fastening element 54, for
example in the form of a fastening screw, a threaded pin, or the
like, extends out of the rigid-foam body 42. Construction of the
upholstery element 48 including such a fastening element 54
extending out of the back 56 of the upholstery element 48 is
possible when the front 34 of the second lid 30 (see FIG. 2) is
provided with corresponding recesses for receiving the respective
protruding section of the fastening element 54. A fastening element
58 is shown on the left side of the upholstery element 48 in FIG.
4, which protrudes as one piece from the back 56 of the rigid-foam
body 42 and is in the form of an elastic snap-in catch element. In
contrast to the fastening element 58 which is formed on the
rigid-foam body 42 as one piece, the fastening element 54 is a
fastening element foamed as one piece with the rigid-foam body 42
and protruding from the rigid-foam body 42. A fastening means 60 in
the shape of an inner threaded bore 62 is provided in the center
area of the upholstery element 48. The inner threaded bore 62 of
the fastening means 60 extends into the back 56 of the upholstery
element 48 so that it becomes possible to screw a threaded pin into
the inner threaded bore 62 in order to connect the upholstery
element 48 with a structural element not shown in the drawing in a
mechanically fixed manner; The fastening elements 54 and/or 58
serve the same purpose.
The rigid-foam body 42 also provides the advantage of a waterproof
seal of the upholstery element 48 from its back 56. This is the
case in particular when the fastening elements 54 and/or 58 are
used.
FIG. 5 shows a section of an upholstery element 48 with a soft-foam
body 32 and a rigid-foam body 42 connected with the soft-foam body
32 which is disposed on the back of the soft-foam body 32. The
rigid-foam body 42 is formed as one piece with a fastening element
58, the same as is shown on the left side of FIG. 4 and referred to
above. It is possible to connect a covering 64 easily and rapidly
by means of the fastening element 58 in a mechanically fixed manner
with the upholstery element 48. This covering may be made of a
plastic material, of metal or of any desired other material. A
covering 64 made of metal could be a deep-drawn sheet metal piece
or a molded structural element. Openings 66 are provided in the
covering 64, which are distributed to match the fastening elements
58. In this Fig., too, a cover has been designated by the reference
numeral 16, covers the soft-foam body 32 and is fastened with its
border area to the peripheral edge 46 of the rigid-foam body
42.
FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of an upholstery element 48, where
the soft-foam body 32 is covered directly with a covering 64 on its
back facing away from the cover 16. Fastening of the covering 64 is
accomplished by means of a rigid-foam body 42, which is clamp-like
in the shape of a frame, in which the cover 16 is fixed with its
border area 20. A rigid-foam body 42, as shown in FIG. 6, can be
manufactured by a suitable construction of the first lid 24 and the
second lid 30. The covering 64 is, for example, a deep-drawn or
crimped sheet metal element, the cover 16 may be made of a textile
material, of imitation leather, of leather, or the like. The
rigid-foam body 42 preferably consists of a polyurethane RIM
system.
FIGS. 7 to 9 show various embodiments of an upholstery element 48
in the shape of an armrest, having a soft-foam body 32, a
rigid-foam body 42 fixedly connected with the soft-foam body 32,
and a cover 16 which surrounds the soft-foam body 32 on all sides
and which is fastened with its border area 20 at the peripheral
edge 46 of the rigid-foam body 42. The cover 16 may, of course,
also be connected over a large surface with the soft-foam body
32.
* * * * *